Braised Short Rib Shepard’s Pie with Guinness Gravy

Hello there beautiful and savory Braised Short Rib Shepard’s Pie with Guinness Gravy. This is my Pi Day/St. Patrick’s Day post, a little two for one action.

First and foremost.

Happy Saint Patrick’s Day!

This is one of the greatest foodie holiday next to Thanksgiving, in my opinion. And trust me the Irish know good food, good drinks and great hospitality. This is the perfect shepard’s pie that is just one the many posts to my good Irish heritage.

“May love and laughter light your days,and warm your heart and home.May good and faithful friends be yours,wherever you may roam.May peace and plenty bless your worldwith joy that long endures.May all life’s passing seasonsbring the best to you and yours!”

-Old Irish Blessing

Not your typical Shepard’s Pie recipe and one that will not disappoint. After all, I learned from the best. My Grandmother is a good Irish women that knows how to cook. My whole life I remember her always being in the kitchen, to this day as well. I’m sure she’s making homemade rye bread or preparing her Corned Beef as I write this. She always insisted upon fresh, made from scratch meals and they were always to die for. I will never be able to recreate her Corned Beef and Braised Cabbage recipe even though I try every year and it’s just never the same! I love you Grandma Miller, you’re one hell of an Irish woman!

Back to the Braised Short Rib Shepard’s Pie with Guinness Gravy.

This is the same braised short ribs recipe as my Guinness Braised Short Ribs but a slightly different arrangement. This can be done the day before and then assembled the next day. It has a few steps and all you don’t want to skimp on so take your time, crack open and Guinness and make this hardy meal from scratch that will impress all of your guests this St. Paddy’s Day!

Have a safe and happy St. Patrick’s day. Eat, drink and live well!

Prep Time 30 Minutes

Cook Time 4 Hours

Difficulty Easy

Servings 6 – 8

2 tablespoons Olive Oil

2 pounds Beef Short Ribs, bone-in

2 tablespoons Butter, unsalted

1 whole Onion, diced

2 whole Carrots, medium dice

6 cloves Garlic, crushed

1 bottle (12 ounces) Guinness Extra Stout

1 quart (32 ounces) Beef Stock

Kosher Salt & Pepper, to season

FOR THE POTATOES

1 1/2 pounds Gold Potatoes

1/2 cup Milk

1/2 stick Butter

1 cup Irish Cheddar, shredded {Dubliner Cheese}

Kosher Salt & Pepper, to season

FOR GUINNESS GRAVY

2 tablespoons Butter

2 tablespoons Olive Oil

1 whole Onion, diced

2 whole Carrots, diced

1 package Baby Bella Mushrooms, quartered

1 cup Frozen Peas

2 tablespoons Flour

Heat the olive oil in a 9-quart cast iron pot over medium heat. Season the ribs on both sides with salt and pepper.

Place ribs in the pot to brown both sides, 2 minutes per side. Remove ribs to a plate and set aside.

Melt the butter in the same pot and add the diced onion, carrots and garlic to the pot; cook until veggies are tender, about 8 minutes. Season with salt. Add the Guinness and stir, breaking up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot.

Bring to a boil and reduce the beer slightly to cook off some of the alcohol. Add the beef stock and the mixture up to a slight simmer and season with salt and pepper.

Place the reserved short ribs back in the pot and reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer on low for 3 hours until short ribs are fork tender.

While the short ribs are cooking, prepare the mashed potatoes. Peel and dice the potatoes. Place them in a large pot and cover with cold water. Set over high heat, cover and bring to a boil.

Once boiling, uncover and simmer until the potatoes are tender and easily pierced with a knife, approximately 10-15 minutes. Drain the potatoes place back in the pot with the milk, butter and cheddar. Mash together until creamy and smooth. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Remove the braised ribs from the pot to a plate and discard the bones. Shred with two forks and set aside.

Strain out the solids in the pot and reserve the liquid for the Guinness gravy.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Melt the butter with the olive oil in a large heavy bottomed pot over medium high heat. Add the diced onion and carrots. Saute until tender about 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and stir in. Cook for 2 minutes until browned.

Add the flour. Stir for 2 minutes until flour is golden and slightly toasted.

Pour in the reserved liquid and stir to create the gravy. Simmer until thickened. Turn heat off. Add the shredded beef short ribs and frozen peas. Fold in to combine everything evenly.

Butter a casserole dish or several gratin dishes for single servings. Spread the short rib mixture evenly in the bottom of the dishes.

Top with the mashed potatoes, starting around the edges to create a seal to prevent the mixture from bubbling up and smooth with a spatula.

{Or spoon mashed potatoes into a disposable pastry bag fitted with a rosette tip. Pipe potatoes over top of pie until it is completely covered.}

If you’re feeling really crazy, shred more cheddar on top…maybe a lot more.

Place the casserole dish on a sheet pan and place in the oven. Bake for 25 minutes or just until the potatoes begin to brown. Remove to a cooling rack for at least 15 minutes before serving.

Garnish with your choice of chives or green onion. Serve with some Irish Potato Bread and a Guinness! Enjoy!

Heat the olive oil in a 9-quart cast iron pot over medium heat. Season the ribs on both sides with salt and pepper. Place ribs in the pot to brown both sides, 2 minutes per side. Remove ribs to a plate and set aside.

Melt the butter in the same pot and add the diced onion, carrots and garlic to the pot; cook until veggies are tender, about 8 minutes. Season with salt. Add the Guinness and stir, breaking up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot. Bring to a boil and reduce the beer slightly to cook off some of the alcohol. Add the beef stock and the mixture up to a slight simmer and season with salt and pepper. Place the reserved short ribs back in the pot and reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer on low for 3 hours until short ribs are fork tender.

While the short ribs are cooking, prepare the mashed potatoes. Peel and dice the potatoes. Place them in a large pot and cover with cold water. Set over high heat, cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, uncover and simmer until the potatoes are tender and easily pierced with a knife, approximately 10-15 minutes. Drain the potatoes place back in the pot with the milk, butter and cheddar. Mash together until creamy and smooth. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Remove the braised ribs from the pot to a plate and discard the bones. Shred with two forks and set aside.

Strain out the solids in the pot and reserve the liquid for the Guinness gravy.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Melt the butter with the olive oil in a large heavy bottomed pot over medium high heat. Add the diced onion and carrots. Saute until tender about 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and stir in. Cook for 2 minutes until browned. Add the flour. Stir for 2 minutes until flour is golden and slightly toasted.

Pour in the reserved liquid and stir to create the gravy. Simmer until thickened. Turn heat off. Add the shredded beef short ribs and frozen peas. Fold in to combine everything evenly.

Butter a casserole dish or several gratin dishes for single servings. Spread the short rib mixture evenly in the bottom of the dishes. Top with the mashed potatoes, starting around the edges to create a seal to prevent the mixture from bubbling up and smooth with a spatula.

{Or spoon mashed potatoes into a disposable pastry bag fitted with a rosette tip. Pipe potatoes over top of pie until it is completely covered.}

If you’re feeling really crazy, shred more cheddar on top…maybe a lot more.

Place the casserole dish on a sheet pan and place in the oven. Bake for 25 minutes or just until the potatoes begin to brown. Remove to a cooling rack for at least 15 minutes before serving.

Garnish with your choice of chives or green onion. Serve with potato bread and a Guinness! Enjoy!

In this house we LOVE this recipe! Every time I make it we have the neighbors over for dinner because they love it too! I do have a question though. When it comes to simmering the gravy I can never get it thick nice like yours is. I have even gone so far as to double the flour and it sits for a long time simmering. What gives?

Hi Kimberly! I’m so glad you like the recipe! Next time try bring the gravy up to a boil and then try reducing to a simmer until thick. It might need a little extra heat. Although it’s really not suppose to be super thick just enough to hold on and bind all the goodies in the dish! Hope that helps, let me know how it goes!! Cheers!